News

In the heart of the Kew Gardens Hills neighborhood, there is a development site that hosted a row of small businesses until a fire destroyed the entire block in 2016. Between the removal of debris and the first shovel in the ground, a painstaking effort to secure funding and approvals was underway.

This past Thursday evening, I paid respects to police officers (now detectives) Wilbert Mora and Jason Rivera of the 32^nd precinct, who reached their end of watch two weeks prior on January 21. The communal gathering held at the 112^th precinct in Forest Hills, under the helm of Commanding Officer Deputy Inspector Joseph E. Cappelmann, was well attended. “I came out to honor the life of the police officers who were killed in the line of duty,” said David Shakhmoroff, who attended on behalf of Chaverim of Queens. “I was unable to attend the funerals and felt joining this tribute is a small way to honor the passing of these heroes who lived their life to protect us.”

After a long and far-reaching search, Kehilas Torah Temima, which began nearly five years ago, has confirmed a new Rabbi to replace Rabbi Elan Segelman. Rabbi Segelman left the shul last August when he became the Rabbi of the Young Israel of Hancock Park in Los Angeles, California. Under Rabbi Segelman’s leadership, the shul grew from a few dozen dedicated members to well over 100 in its first year of operation, creating a strong k’hilah that welcomed members from across the community. We look forward to continuing that legacy for many years to come.

Misaskim volunteers never rest. From assisting bereaving families to addressing the concerns of almanos and yesomim, the volunteers are always ready. Due to demand, the Queens and Great Neck division recently expanded into a new division exclusively for the Far Rockaway and Long Island region, coordinated by renown mechanech Rabbi Moshe Hamel. This past Sunday evening, the two divisions met up at the Bostoner Bais Medrash of Lawrence on Doughty Boulevard for a face-to-face with Misaskim founder Reb Yanky Meyer to discuss new opportunities as the organization pushes forward to make a larger impact on those families suffering.

A yellow glow cast across various New York State landmarks on the evening of January 27 in remembrance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, enacted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 2005 to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945. The Assembly heard two hours of testimony related to the Holocaust on that day. This year, like last, the program was conducted virtually.

A year has come and gone and the Super Bowl is back for its 56^th debut. As you gather with family or friends, you will find the Cincinnati Bengals facing off against the Los Angeles Rams in their own brand-new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, although the Bengals will serve as the home team. A Rams win would make them the second team in Super Bowl history to win in their home stadium, only following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. The game will mark the first time in just about three decades that the battle for the Lombardi Trophy will return to the California region.